Fabrics and carpets from ... plastic bottles
About 20 years ago, a plastic bottle, which is popularly known as a flask, delighted many of us with its consumer qualities and practicality.
People of the older generation spent most of their lives in the world of glass containers, which must be treated carefully, for fear of breaking it. Plastic dishes are not fragile.
Then a little time passed, and the society satiated with PET waste. Of course, people still buy various liquids in plastic packaging, but now they are no more stored in houses, because they, if not discarded, have a strange property – accumulate in an apartment in large quantities. Therefore, they are thrown out, without regret.
However, it turns out that it is not a right way to solve the issue. Plastic proved to be “immortal”, because it cannot be disposed at regular way.
What to do with this giant amount of solid household waste such as plastic bottles, packages and other containers in the big city? In addition, how this issue supposed to be solved at the country level? Experts warn that PET waste is a serious environmental problem. Moreover, in the Central Asian countries the problem of plastic waste is quite acute.
Nevertheless, humanity is a tough nut. If something cannot be disposed, then it should be recycled into something useful. According to media reports, the situation in this area is changing hitherwards.
So, in the Turkestan region, Kazakhstan, a Chinese-Kazakh plant for the processing polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles) and the production of staple fiber – an artificial textile used to produce yarn and non-woven materials – was opened.
This type of synthetic fiber does not crinkle, does not burn out and for a long time retains high strength, possesses a hypoallergenic property. Things made from it, are pleasant to the touch, easily washable.
Investors in the project were Kazakhstan Green Technology Industries in cooperation with Chinese Hong Kong General Industry & Commerce. The total cost of the project is $20 million. It is planned that 50,000 tons of finished products will be produced annually at the plant. It is enough to meet fully the needs of Kazakhstan in artificial fiber.
In this regard, we recall the opening of a factory for the production of polypropylene carpets in Ashgabat in 2016. These are products from modern synthetic materials, with high consumer properties. These synthetic carpets are similar to natural, but at the same time are cheaper.
The polypropylene thread yarn and acrylic yarns, which are produced in specialized shops from the granules of polypropylene and acrylic fiber of the enterprise, are used as raw material for the production.
In fact, the process is the same as in the production of plastic bottles.
As to the environmental aspect of the “plastic” issue, according to media reports, a number of countries in the region are working on introduction of prohibitive measures that designed to slow the invasion of plastic into our lives. Among them, a ban on the import of polymer film packages and ban on free plastic bags advance.
It is difficult to say now if these prohibitions will be effective. However, it seems, the best approach is to recycle the PET waste, which are a bit boring to everyone, into beautiful fabrics and carpets.
